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Johnsens Opdagelse af Kong Karl-Land, der saa længe
svævede som en Taage for Geograferne, Tobiesens
Iagttagelser fra Overvintringer paa Bjørne-Øen og paa Novaja
Semlja, Johansens og Macks Omseiling af Novaja Semlja
og Opdagelse af det varme Vand udenfor Obs og Jeniseis
Mundinger. Ved disse Resultater har Norge kunnet hævde
en Plads som Deltager i de Opdagelser, hvormed en Række
af Nationer have bidraget til at sprede Lys over vor
Planets nordligste Egne, og denne Plads har været en
ærefuld selv ved Siden af de rigere Nationer med deres
ganske anderledes vel udrustede offentlige og private
Expeditioner.
Imidlertid tro vi, at Udrustningen af en egentlig
Nordpol-Expedition, med det Maal at trænge frem i
hidtil uudforskede Polar-Egne, ikke bliver vor Sag. Dette
maa vi overlade til de rigere Nationer. Men naar
deilige udenfor vor Kyst ligger et Hav, der indeslutter
Ophavet til hele vor Existents, og dette Hav hidtil er
saagodtsom ganske ukjendt i dets Naturforhold, da ligger
Undersøgelsen af disse os Nordmænd nær og nærmere end
nogen anden.
En videnskabelig Undersøgelse af Havet udenfor
Norges Vestkyst er en Opgave, som fra norsk Side visselig
skulde kunne udføres med samme Held som de Britiske
Expeditioner af samme Art. Den maatte gaa ud paa at
undersøge Havets Dybde, dets Temperatur, dets Vands
chemiske Sammensætning og Gasindhold, dets Strømninger
saavel i Overfladen som i Dybet, Bundens Beskaffenhed
og geologiske Formation, dets Vejrforhold, de magnetiske
Forhold og særlig dets Dyre- og Planteverden af enhver
Art. Som Resultater af en saadan Undersøgelse kan man
vente at erholde Oplysning om alle de Naturforhold, der
betinge vort Lands Klima med dets Variationer og fremfor
Alt om vore vandrende Fiskearters biologiske Forhold. Af
hvilken Interesse saadanne Resultater vilde være for den
hele Naturvidenskab, skulle vi ikke her videre udbrede os
over; alene de vigtige Resultater, som kunne gjøres
Regning paa for vore Fiskerier forekommer det os at være
nok at henpege paa for at motivere en saadan Undersøgelses
Ønskelighed. En til en saadan Undersøgelse udsendt
Expedition maatte gaa ud fra den norske Kyst nordenfor Stat
som sin Basis, og fra denne af studere Forholdene ud over
Bankerne lige til selve Ishavsdybet, en Opgave, som den
for Dampskibet “Hansteens” Oplodninger lagte Plan ikke
tillader dette at udføre, paa samme Tid som “Hansteens”
Arbeider ville bidrage i højeste Grad til at støtte den til
Havets Undersøgelse udsendte Expeditions Arbeider. En
anden Tilslutning vilde Hav-Expeditionen have til de
Britiske Expeditioners Arbejde, navnlig til
“Porcupine”-Expeditionens. Den vilde give denne, der nærmest er at
anse for en Pioner-Expedition paa disse Felter, den rigtige
Udvidelse og Afrunding i Retning af Polarhavet og
saaledes mødes med al mulig Sympathi af de Britiske
first by that enterprising seaman and Tobiesen, and, some
years later, by Altmann, Nilsen, and Johnsen, of Kong
Karl’s (Wyche) Land, which had so long flitted
mirage-like before the minds of geographers; Tobiesen’s valuable
observations, taken when wintering on Beeren-Eiland, and
on Novaja Zemlja; Johansen’s and Mack’s
circumnavigation of Novaja Zemlja, and their discovery of the warm
surface-water off the mouths of the Ob and the Yenisei.
The exertions of these Norwegian mariners have given to
their country her full share in the discoveries that have
helped to throw light on the most northerly regions of the
globe, thus securing to her an honourable position by the
side of wealthier nations, with their numerous Expeditions,
either fitted out at the expense of the State or by private
munificence.
Meanwhile, a “North-Pole Expedition,” having for its
object the exploration of unknown Arctic regions, does
not, we conceive, come within the scope of Norwegian
enterprise. Such an undertaking must be left to nations better
able to make the pecuniary sacrifice it would entail. But,
off our coasts extends a tract of ocean which is the origin
and preserver of our existence as a civilised nation; and
that expanse of sea being as regards its physical conditions
well nigh unknown, on Norway should first devolve the labour
of their solution.
A scientific exploration of the sea west of Norway might
certainly be accomplished by Norwegians with success equal
to that which has attended the like British Expeditions.
It would comprise the depth of the sea, its temperature,
the chemical composition of its water, the currents
prevailing there, both at the surface and in the depths, the nature
and geological formation of the bottom, meteorological and
magnetical phenomena, and more especially all forms of
animal and vegetable life. The results of such an
investigation might be expected to throw light upon the physical
conditions determining our climate, and, above all, upon
the biological characteristics of our migratory fishes. What
value the acquirement of such information would have for
Science generally, we will not dwell upon here; the great
advantage which in all probability our fisheries would reap
is alone sufficient to show the importance of such an
undertaking. An Expedition with the object here set forth,
would have as its basis the Norwegian coast north of Stat,
and from this locality would proceed to investigate the banks,
exploring thence down to the deepest parts of the basin. —
a scheme that does not come within the limits of the plan
laid down for the sounding-operations of the Coast Survey
with the “Hansteen,” the results of which would, however,
very materially contribute to facilitate the scientific work
of the Expedition. Moreover, a Norwegian Expedition
must derive additional importance from its intimate relation
to British Expeditions, and more especially to that
despatched with the “Porcupine,” since it would furnish the
very desirable opportunity of carrying on and completing
in the direction of the Arctic Ocean the work begun by
the “Porcupine” Expedition (which bore a true pioneering
character), and hence be met with the warmest sympathy
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